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For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Paul establishes a church in the Corinth, a very modern, metropolitan Greek city with a strong culture of pagan worship that included casual, sexual immorality. Membership of this congregation ranged from slaves to upwardly mobile businessmen. A major crisis arose when converts wanted the blessing of salvation, yet clung tightly to the convenience and fun of loose living. Paul addressed the issues of division that sin caused and then wrote the letter we call I Corinthians. He continued his missionary journey through Asia but waited anxiously for news of this group of new believers that he loved so deeply. In the mean time this former persecutor became the persecuted and lived through many tribulations including a near death experience.

News arrives that the Corinthian church has listened to Paul’s counsel and returned to holiness. Paul is of course relieved and thrilled. He plans to visit but first writes them a letter known as II Corinthians. He tells of God’s comfort through all his trials that ultimately led him to greater understanding and compassion for others. He also addresses the question of integrity and constancy that came into question by nefarious leaders seeking personal power rather than true ministry. This constancy is seen through God’s fulfillment of His promises through His Son Jesus the Christ. The church has stability because God is unchanging, He is YES to all He said He would do and we, through faith are the completion, the Amen, of God’s purpose and great love.

God’s truth and mercy endure forever, His plan is and always has been the same…… for you and me to have eternal life!

To God Be the Glory,

Gretchen

The Secret Heart of Gifting

Tis the season to………get or give and probably a little of both. It’s called gifting and there are many options to choose from: Simple Gifting, Over Gifting, Re-gifting, Extravagant Gifting, Cheap Gifting, Thoughtful Gifting, Thoughtless Gifting, Late Gifting, Early Gifting, Guilt Gifting, Love Gifting and many more. Here’s the big deal that ties it all together……..that thing you offer and that thing you receive tells far more about the giver than the getter.

When I graduated from high school in central Arkansas my maternal grandparents made a trip from southeast Iowa to celebrate the occasion with my family and friends. On my special day I opened four big boxes of lovely, delicate china! I was seventeen years old and had a complete, eight piece place setting of winter white dishes trimmed with ice blue flowers and silver accents.

Comments over dinner revealed the secret of my treasured china. It came by way of grocery store stamps. Nothing was said to me directly, but I overheard others discussing the diligence my grandmother put toward her gift. Sometime during my sophomore year of high school grandma began shopping exclusively at one particular market. It wasn’t bargains or high quality fare, but the stamp she was awarded for every dollar she spent that kept her returning each week to the same grocer, until she reached her goal, china for me.

The innocence of youth protects us from many truths our lack of experience can’t responsibly process but in the following years I came to realize the poverty my mother knew growing up. She was a child of the World Wars. Her mother went to work in the city factories, her father remained a civilian and farmed for the war effort. Her childhood was cut short by a society that asked her to take up the slack and become nanny and housemaid to her younger siblings. Life was not often kind but when she grew to adulthood her mother was incredibly proud of the woman she became. I could see it in the old eyes that followed my young mother around the room during family togetherness. I am the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter my grandmother held in such high esteem, and that is why I was the recipient of the most extravagant graduation gift my grandparents were ever able to give. It wasn’t because I was Gretchen, but because Cleta Cuppy, poor but proud was determined to give. This gift told the story of my grandmother’s character, not mine.

In this season, as we are blessed by other’s bounty, remember to look beyond the hands that give to the heart that first acquired. It isn’t about getting what we want or what we need, its about the gift of human connection that God wove into His creation. The gift speaks the soul of the giver. AND if you stop by my house for some hot chocolate, you will find a cabinet, a gift from my parents, filled with my graduation china, and then you will turn to a cluttered refrigerator door covered with notes and coloring book pages artfully filled by small hands with big love. Each item represents a human heart and the heart of a Good, Good, God who gave the Greatest Gift of All.

Merry Christmas and Peace of Earth, Good Will Toward Man.

Love,

Gretchen

For this is what the LORD says, He who created the Heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited. He says: “I am the LORD and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:18 I strongly recommend you read the entire chapter.

Isaiah is delivering God’s declaration of who He is, God! And He actually says, “Don’t mess with me!” (Paraphrased verse 9) Strong but beautiful! It isn’t just God’s authority that is pronounced, He specifically tells the purposefulness in His creation and gives detail to the future. King Cyrus’ days are 150 years to the future. (Verse 1)

According to Robert Mogan, author of a devotional book, Then Sings My Soul, a poem by Swedish Minister Carl Boberg, written in 1885 was inspired by Isaiah chapter 45. It was set to a melody and traveled around the world, withstood a few revisions and additions before ending up in the hands of George Beverly Shea, musical director for the Billy Graham Crusades. In 1957 George sang this new worship song in New York City. The hymn…..HOW GREAT THOU ART!

Have a Blessed Weekend,

Gretchen

In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11

This song was written by David when the Philistines had captured him in Gath. The accounts of David’s captivities in I Samuel do not mention this event, but David’s words give a vivid picture of his thoughts, anxiousness and response to his dire situation and God’s saving power.

David’s emotions have overwhelmed him, his efforts are futile UNTIL, he remembers “When I am afraid I put my trust in You!” Verse 3.

I am stepping away from commentary for a moment and giving direct statement: Satan’s greatest weapon is this, “If you had sought God’s counsel when you should have then you wouldn’t be in this mess now.” Perhaps satan is correct. In David’s case there is not enough evidence to make that judgement and it isn’t my place anyway. It is also true that often, no one is to blame for life’s tragic events, a sinful world begets grief. What is correct is that satan’s opinion (or anyone else’s) does not bind God’s hands/power when we call to Him and rest in His arms. Satan and his gifts of shame and guilt (don’t confuse these with humility) will hobble your run to the Throne of God. Find the same victory that David did. Do not be afraid, trust God!

There is no Black Friday in the Sonshine, 🙂

Gretchen

For it is written: “Be Holy, because I am Holy.” I Peter 1:16

It would not be commanded of us if it were not possible. Yes, we suffer and face persecution but those things strengthen and validate our faith.

We are called to represent the life and standards of the One who left Heaven’s perfect peace and suffered a horrendous, cruel death so that we could have life eternal.

God does not use unattainable expectations to toy with our lives. He is good, wise and powerful. If He asks it, He provides it. He is Holy, therefore, as His heirs, we can be also.

Happy Thanks Giving,

Gretchen

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
I Corinthians 12:13

The early church grew quickly. The apostles, the original missionaries, were spread thin. God used the miraculous moving of the Holy Spirit in the place of unavailable manpower. Speaking in tongues is one example of God giving a power to one person when no one was available to deliver the Gospel in a manner understood by the audience. God gave Spiritual Gifts, but these gifts were soon seized upon by the unscrupulous for the purpose of perpetuating selfish hidden agendas for those seeking celebrity. Disorder, abuse and hurt resulted. Paul calls these early believers to unity rather than uniformity because so many early Christians honored some gifts above others.

In the wonder of God’s creation every human is woven together with unique qualities and abilities. Each person is very much the same but extremely different in the complexities of individuality. Such is the same for spiritual gifts. They are specific to the need of a hungry world and man’s need to serve the Kingdom of Heaven. All designed perfectly by God, for God in the image of God.

The power we draw comes from one source, the Holy Spirit. Our salvation and baptism are by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is universal and timeless. We cannot sort and rank ourselves according to man’s value because we are the Body of Christ, the Church.

To be wholly loving, transparent, lacking in prejudice and envy, and humbly willing to answer The Call in any manner is only possible through the Spirit of God. It is miraculous. So if you’re looking for a miracle, step into the center of God’s will and you will find it.

Love,

Gretchen

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 3

John is the last surviving apostle. This letter is a personal note addressed to a woman and her children. This salutation is believed to be a disguise to protect a congregation that is under great persecution and distraction. John hopes to visit in person very soon so there is no reason to waste good papyrus, thus his words are few and succinct.

The opening comments are a call for love and truth, the basic theology of holiness. Love God, love one another, love is truth. Know truth and let it dwell in you. Truth, grace, mercy and peace exist together.

Truth is important. We base the biggest decisions of our lives on what we believe to be the truth, so believing what is fact is huge. Jesus is God’s Son, and He died for all mankind’s sins. God sets some boundaries to keeps us safe and whole, they are His commands and they are truth. Don’t be fooled by someone’s new version, or convenient rewrite, know Truth and walk in it.

Love,

Gretchen

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to Him and revering Him. Deuteronomy 8:6

God freed His covenant nation from the bondage of an earthly authority, a Pharaoh that mistook himself for a god. This new nation traversed the wilderness and mountains of the Sinai Peninsula following God’s direction. Forty years and one generation later they are mere footsteps away from their promised and permanent home. God’s use of this time was to make the Hebrew people His, to mold them and give them an identity founded in His likeness and they became Israel. God showed them He was faithful and trustworthy. They needed nothing, God would take care of EVERYTHING. Just trust and obey, be a people fully reliant on God.

Prosperity would come with Israel’s new, sedentary culture. With these blessings came the danger of self-sufficiency. In times of trial we cry out for help and guidance, but in times of leisure, pride and self-reliance destroy our diligence and humility.

Obedience and reverence are born of our knowledge that He alone is the One True God and He is Good. He is still trustworthy and only asks that we obey and rely.

Happy Monday,

Gretchen

The Magic of Kindness

Too many years ago to remember, a Thanksgiving holiday arrived. With an entire week out of school my husband and I could make extra money delivering new school buses. So, early on Monday morning we headed for Huntington, W. Virginia. This old, industrial city sets in the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains in a valley along the Ohio River, very near both the Kentucky and Ohio state lines and is home to Marshall University.

Alone, staring out the front glass, mile after mile, typically decluttered my mind. I could think my thinks and put them in their appropriate cubbies for later access. Buses are not made for luxury, they are work horses, but new and empty they are a wonderful place to let the mental fog burn off and find peace. This trip wasn’t that. I was restless. We left our young daughters with their grandparents knowing that if something unfortunate occurred and we didn’t make it back for Turkey Day, they were with family enjoying all the festivities. I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself, I was incredibly grateful for the opportunity God provided to make Christmas gift money and even more grateful for the solitude spent in His presence. These miles didn’t do their magic. I just wanted to get home.

This was my first sojourn across the entire length of the Kentucky Interstate system. It is not a common thoroughfare. Interstate 40 goes south through Tennessee on its way to the Atlantic coast while interstate 70 takes a northerly route through major cities until it ends in Philadelphia. I’ve traveled these corridors extensively. The Bluegrass Parkway MEANDERS! When time is money you do not meander, but this route was the quickest and shortest mileage available, so our big diesel machines took a leisurely stroll over the rivers and through the woods.

As we neared Huntington late Wednesday afternoon we topped a mountain with a panoramic view of the city and Marshall U’s football stadium. I immediately recognized the scene from a movie that had recently been released staring Matthew McConaughey, We Are Marshall. The film recounted the story of the 1970 plane crash that took the lives of Marshall’s entire football team and staff. My heart clinched. It cried for this town and the families that lost so much and as always…..I defaulted to ‘What if.’ What if something so horrible happened to me? How would I go on? Oh how I just wanted to get home to my babies!

We dropped the buses and turned our tow car westward with our hearts set on pulling into our driveway early Thursday morning, but we needed food and caffeine. Denny’s had what we needed. I picked up a menu and saw all the trimmings for holiday meals and thought of people that would be eating in restaurants rather than around tables with people they loved. I secretly cried when I realized I was among those I pitied! The waitress found me with a throat so tight I couldn’t do anything but nod when she asked if I would like coffee. I felt sad for her having to deal with a mess of a customer but she was so beautifully gracious. Somehow, a feast fell before me with every trimming imaginable. Her kindness touched and warmed me. My heart was sad and cold, but she brought hospitality when she could have huffed away. This woman I will never meet again treated me to a taste of Heaven’s Glory.

Long ago I determined to trade “What if” for the “But if not” Nebuchadnezzar heard before sending three Hebrew men to their fate in a fiery furnace (Daniel 3), and I’ve come to learn that strength of faith not only grows in tests of trial and tribulation, but also in the simple kindness of those who have absolutely nothing to gain.

As Christians we expect to be the givers of grace, mercy and kindness, but this holiday, allow me to remind you; be aware of those that are extending the Hands, Feet, Eyes, Ears and Heart of Jesus to you too and remember them with gratitude.

Blessings and Peace,

Gretchen

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

The hours before Gethsemane..…the arrest…..the horrors of man’s prejudice and hatred at their very worst…..

Jesus has had His final meal with His dear comrades, those He has prepared to continue the work He began and will lay down His life to preserve and grow. His message is to love one another and remain in the One they will soon know as The Christ.

Remain: To stay, wait and continue on. The disciples had to stay when Jesus went. They had to sort things out and continue on their mission while waiting on their LORD’s return. BUT Jesus said, “And I will remain in you!” Jesus committed to staying. It will be in a manner yet incomprehensible to these men, BUT DON’T MISS THIS! JESUS COMMITTED TO STAYING! In the heart of man.

The focus of our thoughts should not be consumed with the absence of God in humanity, but rather the absolute presence of the promised companionship, the continuing, unbroken relationship of a staying and continuing Spirit of our Holy God.

Tis the season to be overwhelmed with needs that cannot be fulfilled alone. Jesus has remained by means of His Spirit. Feel it, access it, use it and you will bear the fruits of His Spirit!

Love,

Gretchen